月亮和六便士 第五十三章(2)

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It is worn round the waist and hangs to the knees. 围在腰上，下面搭在膝盖上。

"A girl of fifteen, perhaps, was plaiting pandanus-leaf to make a hat, and an old woman was sitting on her haunches smoking a pipe. “一个女孩子，大概有十五六岁吧，正在用凤梨树叶编草帽，一个老太婆蹲在地上抽烟袋。

Then I saw Ata. She was suckling a new-born child, and another child, stark¹ naked, was playing at her feet. 后来我才看到爱塔，她正在给一个刚出世不久的小孩喂奶，另外一个小孩，光着屁股，在她脚底下玩。

When she saw me she called out to Strickland, and he came to the door. 爱塔看见我以后，就招呼思特里克兰德。思特里克兰德从屋子里走到门口。

He, too, wore nothing but a pareo. 他身上同样也只围着一件帕利欧。

He was an extraordinary figure, with his red beard and matted hair, and his great hairy chest. 他留着大红胡子，头发粘成一团，胸上长满了汗毛，样子真是古怪。

His feet were horny and scarred, so that I knew he went always bare foot. 他的两只脚磨得起了厚茧，还有许多疤痕，我一看就知道他从不穿鞋。

He had gone native with a vengeance². 说实在的，他简直比当地人更加土化。

He seemed pleased to see me, and told Ata to kill a chicken for our dinner. 他看见我好象很高兴，吩咐爱塔杀一只鸡招待我。

He took me into the house to show me the picture he was at work on when I came in. 他把我领进屋子里，给我看我来的时候他正在画的一张画。

In one corner of the room was the bed, and in the middle was an easel with the canvas upon it. 屋子的一个角落里摆着一张床，当中是一个画架，画架上钉着一块画布。

Because I was sorry for him, I had bought a couple of his pictures for small sums, and I had sent others to friends of mine in France. 因为我觉得他挺可怜，所以花了不多钱买了他几张画。这些画大多数我都寄给法国的朋友了。

And though I had bought them out of compassion³, after living with them I began to like them. 虽然我当时买这些画是出于对他的同情，但是时间长了，我还是喜欢上它们了。

Indeed, I found a strange beauty in them. 我发现这些画有一种奇异的美。

Everyone thought I was mad, but it turns out that I was right. 别人都说我发疯了，但事实证明我是正确的。

I was his first admirer in the islands." 我是这个地区第一个能鉴赏他的绘画的人。”

He smiled maliciously⁴ at Tiare, 他幸灾乐祸地向蒂阿瑞笑了笑。

and with lamentations she told us again the story of how at the sale of Strickland's effects she had neglected the pictures, 于是蒂阿瑞又一次后悔不迭地给我们讲起那个老故事来：在拍卖思特里克兰德遗产的时候，她怎样一点儿也没有注意他的画，

but bought an American stove for twenty-seven francs. 只花了二十七个法郎买了一个美国的煤油炉子。

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